Welcome! See Italy (and more) through the eyes of an artist: American sculptor and painter Kelly Borsheim creates her life and art in Italy and shares her adventures in travel and art with you. Come on along, please and Visit her fine art work online at: www.BorsheimArts.com

Pages

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

For the last several New Year's Eve postings, I thought I would have a little fun and share something with you in the spirit of the culture of Pompeii (pre-volcanic explosion!): Namely, some naughty art. Pompei, Italia (as it is spelled in Italian), is rather famouse for its art. The entryways of many homes and public spaces sported mosaics and fresco of, for example, a man with a giant phallus. American tastes often dictate [ahem...] that this is simply... er, too much.

However, people who live closer to the Earth tend to openly celebrate human (and even animal) sexuality and see it as a natural part of living, as they saw spirituality. So, to be greeted by an exaggerated male member was actually a wish or even a prayer, if you like, for fertile growth and prosperity in all areas of life, even economics.

In this "down week" between Christmas and New Years' I have tried to remain at home alone (unsuccessfully, I must admit), working on my art and reflecting on all of the things that I might have done differently in 2013. I wish sometimes that I did not ALWAYS put people ahead of my art. Or rather, I need a balance, but more importantly, I need to learn how to avoid getting caught up in other people's drama. And learn how to extricate myself from it sooner than later, once I recognize a negative situation. [I did send a message to my former landladies wishing them happy holidays in an effort to let them know that I blame them less for my losing my home this spring and was happy to receive a lovely response.]

So, this year, I want to share with you two charcoal drawings that I created from live models."Hindsight" and "Daydreaming." Both activities are worth doing (in moderation) and today, I celebrate them. So, in 2014, it is my wish that we all keep reflecting, dreaming, and learning how to love and how to live closer to our Earth. Happy 2014!

P.S. I have recently updated my Web site and have added a page specifically for "Naughty Art." That way, if it is just not your thing, you may choose to avoid clicking on those words.

For the last several New Year’s Eve postings, I thought I would have a little fun and share something with you in the spirit of the culture of Pompeii (pre-volcanic explosion!): Namely, some naughty art. Pompei, Italia, (as it is spelled in Italian) is rather famous for its art. The entryways of many homes and public spaces sported mosaics and fresco of, for example, a man with a giant phallus. American tastes often dictate [ahem…] that this is simply… er, too much.

However, people who live closer to the Earth tend to openly celebrate human (and even animal) sexuality and see it as a natural part of living, as they saw spirituality. So, to be greeted by an exaggerated male member was actually a wish or even a prayer, if you like, for fertile growth and prosperity in all areas of life, even economics.

In this “down week” between Christmas and New Years’ I have tried to remain at home alone (unsuccessfully, I must admit), working on my art and reflecting on all of the things that I might have done differently in 2013. I wish sometimes that I did not ALWAYS put people ahead of my art. Or rather, I need a balance; but more importantly, I need to learn how to avoid getting caught up in other people’s drama. And learn how to extricate myself from it sooner than later, once I recognize a negative situation.

So, this year, I want to share with you two charcoal drawings that I created from live models. “Hindsight” and “Daydreaming.” Both activities are worth doing (in moderation) and today, I celebrate them. So, in 2014, it is my wish that we all keep reflecting, dreaming, and learning how to love and how to live closer to our Earth. Happy 2014!

http://www.borsheimarts.com/charcoal-drawing/2009/hindsight.htm

http://www.borsheimarts.com/charcoal-drawing/2009/daydreaming.htm

P.S. I have recently updated my Web site and have added a page specifically for “Naughty Art.” That way, if it is just not your thing, do not click on those words.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

365 rooms in the Castello di Sammezzano in Leccio, Italy, but you may never see them unless you are lucky enough to happen upon news of a special tour. My last post went IMMEDIATELY into my two Facebook pages, so perhaps the subscription works too now... in any event, I want to share with you some more of the images of this amazing place. Buy it if you can! [Then invite me over]

Back in October I saw a posting about a castle in southern Tuscany that is never open, but for a rare day, one could make reservations to get a guided tour of this amazing space with 365 rooms. I told a friend and we spoke to another friend who has a car. Then I made the reservation.

"Full!" was the response. However, I was later informed that due to a high response, volunteers would be extending the tours to two days. So, I made reserved a space for the five of us that fit into the car.

The Castello di Sammezzano lies very close to Leccio, Toscana, Italy. I understand that is it for sale. It definitely needs renovation, but it is truly one-of-a-kind (in a good way) with a large amount of wooded real estate surrounding the castle.

I keep trying things to fix/understand why Blogger or Feedburner has stopped sending my blog posts to the list of you who have subscribed. For that reason, I am including ONLY one or two images in this post. The rest will follow in another post. Perhaps you will receive one ... or both, as you requested.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Hello again, I hope
that this blog reaches you after a bit of struggle for me to learn why my blog
posts stopped being sent out to subscribers since October after Google dropped
my site for some reason.

I wish you a holiday
season filled with warmth, love, and friendship.

Cheers,

Kelly Borsheim, artist

PSMy book, “My Life as a Street Painter in
Florence, Italy” with over 350 images is on sale at Amazon.com and in Amazons around
the world.See some of the pages inside
online at:

Friday, November 29, 2013

I feel grateful for a great many things, but mostly my
ability, through you, to live my life and explore the world and our humanity
through artistic eyes. In 2012, I traveled to Morocco. Alone.

In truth, most of my experiences in Morocco just made me
feel isolated and lonesome. It was difficult to have a real conversation with
anyone (it seemed only men who wanted to interact; women just smiled shyly or
spoke as little as possible to me). Most interactions I had ended with a
request for money or sex.

Many of these exchanges were mild and it was easy to
disentangle myself. The one on the bus from Essaouira was the worst I
experienced there. I was unaware at the time, but I had started to come down
with the fever and chills that one can catch from eating or drinking something
not particularly healthy. I simply thought that I was tired and had fallen into
a deep sleep on the bus, leaning against the window. I awoke about an hour
later because . . .

If you would like to hear more about this dubious adventure,
as well as see my new body of artwork in pastel and charcoal, please visit the
online version of my latest art newsletter here:

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

I recently got the opportunity to try my hand at portrait painting
again.I hired Vanessa, the sister of
the gal who modeled for my “Tuscan Mural” last year, Anna Rosa.This time I tried to do my version of Sight-Size (which means more drawing
and less leaning) and with natural light.The window in my studio which has the north light is at my back.I was sharing the model with my studio-mate
Roberto Castellini.He painted with his
canvas on the other side of the model.I
was on her right.

I got a bad start, as you can see on this first image (left side).I was not too fussed, really.I know that I tend to draw short fat faces,
like my own.We all tend to draw
ourselves or our families’ forms since those are what we have seen the most and
maybe there is a deeper connection as well.I was also trying to emulate my favorite painter, Eugene Carriere.So, I was constantly using a fan brush to
keep everything soft and ghosty looking.

Once I got something on the canvas, I then started to refine the shapes.Note that I was painting
monochromatically.I wanted to get my
shapes closer to good before attempting some subtle colors.But halfway Day 2, I started adding some skin
tones, still leaning towards monochromatic vs. very colorful designs.

I struggled with the glare from this northern light onto the oil.The photography task was not much easier than
seeing my painting as I worked.

I missed plenty of model time since my lavatrice (washing
machine) broke and thus, I had several meetings with the landlords as they came
to check it out and then meet the technician for the installation the next
week.However, Roberto decided Thursday
evening that he wanted to start the next morning on a drawing, putting his
painted portrait aside.Since I was not
enjoying the glare situation, I suggested that we move the position of the
model on her stand to a diagonal place that he and I had discussed before.That meant, however, that the model’s face
would be more in shadow.Still, I would
rather change partway through than continue painting in a reflective situation.

You may notice in the fourth image that I have a tendency to try to fatten
the face despite my earlier corrections!Sometimes one must fight one’s natural tendencies.

I had one more 3-hour session with the model Vanessa after this last image
was taken.I tried to refine the lips
and also work in the shadows a bit more.I was hoping to be satisfied with my efforts.While they were not bad, this work is no
masterpiece.And thus, I should keep at
it…

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Hello. I am still
trying to figure out why my subscribers are not receiving these blog
posts.So, as a test, I am publishing an
image of a current work-in-progress (WIP).This one is a pastel and is titled “The Beggar.”I am still hoping to finish him before my
Open Studio tomorrow, but I know that I cannot since I want him to look really
great.

Please let me know if
you receive this blog post in your e-mail.I apologize for the problems encountered in October.So, back to drawing for me!I am really enjoying painting with pastels.

Gadget

Translate

Subscribe Now!

This is a different subscription list from Kelly's art newsletter, published from her Web site: borsheimarts.com. Kelly does not monitor or control the blog subscription list. If you would like to subscribe to the art newsletter (as well), please visit: borsheimarts.com/newsletter.htm

Search This Blog

About Me

"I am interested in the more personal moments of our lives – things we do not often share with other people, or at least, not knowingly so. I am also fascinated by the duality of our nature, especially the idea that two opposing concepts exist in a strange kind of balance. Our thoughts are expressed through our bodies. I use the elements of visual language to appeal to the senses of sight and touch while exploring these ideas, seeking the universal in the personal. I want art to be a sensual experience." - Kelly Borsheim

Since her first painting sale in October 1997 (an oil painting titled Hand Off Knee),
Kelly Borsheim's paintings, drawings, and bronze and stone sculpture are now in private
collections throughout the United States and Europe, and in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Kelly also worked as a street painter (pastels and chalks) in Florence, Italy for about four years. Her image-filled book "My Life as a Street Painter in Florence, Italy" is available on Amazon.com in many countries around the world, as well as directly from her studios.